Residential estate secures with flexible private access

Nottingham, UK

As the vehicle approaches the access point, the ANPR camera can automatically read the number plate at up to 10 metres.

The private housing estate Nottingham Park Estate Ltd required a reliable solution for secure vehicle access. The key demand of the end customer was that no RFID tags would be used. Nedap’s ANPR Access HD linked to Nortech’s Norpass3 access control system was chosen because of its security and flexibility.

Nottingham Park Estate Limited (NPEL) was formed in 1985 essentially to maintain and improve the estate for its members and residents. It is a private residential housing estate to the west of Nottingham which is noted for its Victorian architecture and gas street lighting.

A reliable vehicle identification system was needed to replace the ageing RFID tagging system used to control vehicle access in and out of the estate.

The Cheshire based company, Sitewatch Fire & Surveillance Ltd, a leading security systems consultant, installer and operator was commissioned to identify a suitable upgrade solution. They chose an Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) based access control solution from Nortech. This provides a secure and flexible means of managing access in and out of the estate for all residents, park staff and authorised visitors.

Supported by Nortech, Sitewatch installed Nedap’s ANPR Access HD cameras at each access point to the estate, replacing the old vehicle tag readers. The cameras are linked to the Norpass3 Access Control system and the number plate of each authorised vehicle is registered within the Norpass3 system.

Nedap’s ANPR Access HD is an all in one camera including high definition camera, analyser and high power IR illuminator. It covers nearly all European countries and has a broad list of world-wide countries supporting a large range of IR-reflective license plates. The usage of an HD sensor in combination with the high power IR, enables reading more complex number plates in more challenging circumstances and from a wider range.

As the vehicle approaches the access point, the ANPR camera can automatically read the number plate at up to 10 metres. The plate is passed to the Norpass controller for validation and, if valid, access is granted to the vehicle.

The chosen solution avoids the need to issue vehicle tags to valid users, eliminating initial and ongoing tag replacement costs while reducing administrative time and cost.

"The new system improved customer convenience and put an end to vehicles trying to use the park for a shortcut," says Gary Jackson, Branch Manager North Region of Sitewatch Fire & Surveillance Ltd.

“The Nedap ANPR has been seamlessly integrated with Nortech’s Norpass3 which enables customers to manage both number plates and credentials from one central system,” says Stephen Blackler MD Nortech Control Systems Ltd.